MS Japanese 31

Two of the original seven volumes of Ehon ōshukubai, a woodblock printed album of sketches by Tachibana Morikuni, one of the most active book illustrators working in the Kanō tradition in the eighteenth century. Some of the prints draw on Chinese works including the famous Mustard Seed Garden manual of painting, 芥子園画伝, first published in China in 1679-1701 and later in Japan in 1748-53. The colophon is missing from this copy but this work was originally published in 1740, with later impressions issued in 1747 and 1781.

Japan, c.1740 and 1781

Material: paper; 2冊 存巻3,6 | 2 volumes (Sections 3 and 6); binding dimensions: height 228mm, width 162mm, depth 22mm

Formerly in the collection of William Harding Smith.